Schools

SOUTH LAKE TAHOE, Calif. - With COVID-19 cases falling and more community members receiving the vaccine, Lake Tahoe Community College (LTCC) is able to host a more traditional, in-person graduation ceremony this year on its soccer field.

Commencement will be held at 6:00 p.m. on Friday, June 25, with limited guests and college staff, and faculty on hand to celebrate the Class of 2021’s remarkable achievements. Students who graduated last year with the Class of 2020 are also welcomed back to this year’s ceremony to enjoy a more traditional event with their loved ones.

It is indisputable that kindness as human virtue is in too short supply and too little used these days. Sometimes we wonder how we can heal our seemingly insurmountable divides. Let me post a single word: Kindness.

SOUTH LAKE TAHOE, Calif. - For the first time in over a year, the Lake Tahoe Unified School District will invite the public back into the board room for its next meeting on Tuesday, April 27, 2021.

While the meeting will be broadcast via Zoom, the board room will open to accommodate up to 20 observers. Should the maximum capacity be reached, attendees will be asked to also participate via this Zoom link.

It is indisputable that kindness as human virtue is in too short supply and too little used these days. Sometimes we wonder how we can heal our seemingly insurmountable divides. Let me posit a single word: Kindness.

The Lake Tahoe Unified School District (LTUSD) will hold kindergarten registration from April 26 to May 14 for the school year starting in the fall.

Parents need to call the school at this time and set up a registration time.

Tahoe Valley Elementary - 530.543.2350

Sierra House Elementary - 530.543.2327

Elevated Digital Learning Academy - 530.541.2850 ext. 1055

A lottery has already been held for kindergarten students wishing to get into the Two-Way Immersion program at Bijou Elementary and at the Lake Tahoe Environmental Science Magnet School.

SOUTH LAKE TAHOE, Calif. - The Lake Tahoe Unified School District is holding a vision workshop on Tuesday, April 6 from 6:00 p.m. to 7:30 p.m. The public is invited to participate and help plan the future of the district.

The workshop will be held both in person at the South Tahoe High Student Union and via zoom. Masks are required at the in-person meeting which will abide by all other safety protocols as well including social distancing, signing of COVID waiver, and with maximum occupancy.

SOUTH LAKE TAHOE, Calif. - With local coronavirus cases falling and vaccines becoming more widely available, Lake Tahoe Community College is bringing back limited, in-person student services and face-to-face classes to campus in the days and weeks to come.

SOUTH LAKE TAHOE, Calif. - While spectators at high school sporting events are not allowed at this time due to health and safety guidelines, South Tahoe High Volleyball fans can still support the team.

The team is holding a "Fans in the Stands" fundraiser where purchased full color cardboard cutout fans will replace the in-person fans during the home volleyball matches.

SOUTH LAKE TAHOE, Calif. - Lake Tahoe Unified School District (LTUSD) announced late Wednesday that they will be staying on distance learning until at least January 8, 2021.

Due to the rise in COVID-19 cases in the area, District officials said they are concerned for the health and safety of staff and students. With Winter Break starting December 21 they said the likelihood of a significant decrease in community spread before then. School will not be in session until January 4.

SOUTH LAKE TAHOE, Calif. - During the past three seasons at South Tahoe High, Kelsey Hogan has been a leader on the field with several multi-goal and assist games. On Thursday, she committed to attending the University of Hawaii to continue her stellar soccer career playing for the Rainbow Wāhines.

INCLINE VILLAGE, Nev. - The UC Davis Tahoe Environmental Research Center (TERC) has started a series of virtual field trips for teachers that have been designed with flexibility in mind during this ever-changing school year.

Using a variety of technologies, the TERC Education Team has converted some of their most popular field trips to a virtual format:

Aquatic Food Web (Grades 3–4)
Formation of Lake Tahoe (Grades 4–6)
Geology of Tahoe (Grades 4–5)
Trees of Tahoe (Grades 3–5)
Tahoe Forest Health (Grades 5–6)
Climate Change (Grades 6–8)

SOUTH LAKE TAHOE, Calif. - The Lake Tahoe Unified School District (LTUSD) will be adopting their previously released Pandemic Educational Plan with some modifications as they move into Phase 2 starting October 12, 2020.

During their special meeting Monday, several parents, teachers and trustees voiced their opinions and concerns representing all sides, from keeping students in Phase 1, moving to Phase 2, as well as skipping to Phase 3.

SOUTH LAKE TAHOE, Calif. - South Tahoe Middle School (STMS) has received a $2,676 STEM grant from the Toshiba America Foundation. These funds will support the 7th and 8th grade students in the year-long Maker Lab elective.

SOUTH LAKE TAHOE, Calif. - The Lake Tahoe Unified School District (LTUSD) Board of Trustees will be holding their next meeting on Tuesday, September 22. Closed session begins at 5:00 p.m. and regular session starts at 6:00 p.m.

On the agenda will be discussion about the anticipated move to the next phase of reopening, the hybrid model.

Join Lake Tahoe Community College President Jeff DeFranco will be giving his annual State of the College Address (SOCS) on Thursday September 10 starting at 9:00 a.m. Learn more about the college's year of accomplishments and goals for 2020-21, including a focus on equity and a commitment to serving the entire Tahoe community in uncertain times.

The theme of the address is "We are better together."

SOUTH LAKE TAHOE, Calif. - Lake Tahoe Unified School District (LTUSD) will be able to offer free meals to all students through December due to the U.S. Department of Agriculture extended all Summer Food Service Program (SFSP) and Seamless Summer Option (SSO) waivers. Earlier this week they had issued instructions on how to pay for meals and submit income verification applications for free or reduced price meals, but these are no longer required.

These programs are extended in response to the nationwide COVID-19 pandemic

ZEPHYR COVE, Nev. - The Zephyr Cove Elementary Parents Club and Whittell Boosters are reaching out to the community for support in the safe reopening of the two Douglas County Lake Schools on August 31.

Both of the schools will begin the 2020/2021 school year on Aug 31 with in person, daily instruction utilizing social distancing and other safety protocols.

EL DORADO COUNTY, Calif. - Head, Heart, Hands, Health. The 4-H Youth Development Program offers many fun and educational activities for its members and it is now available for youth in the South Lake Tahoe area.

DOUGLAS COUNTY, Nev. - School districts across the country are working on how to safely open for the fall term. Some are going completely digital, some are electing to have in-person classes, and other are considering a hybrid of both types of learning. Besides guidelines from states, districts have to consider further guidelines from local health officials as they create a plan.

LAKE TAHOE, Calif./Nev. - Former American professional tennis player Mardy Fish is on top of the leader board at the Amerian Century Championship after the second day of play.

Former Buffalo Bills defensive tackle Kyle Williams, yesterday's leader, came off the course in second place.

Mardy Fish set a tournament second-round record with 37 points in the Modified Stableford scoring system, breaking the old record by four points. He had ten birdies finishing the day with five straight. He also set a course record 63, breaking Lee Trevino’s 65.

ZEPHYR COVE, Nev. - The Class of 2020 at George Whittell High School will hold its graduation on Friday, June 19. Since only immediate family members can attend the socially distancing graduation ceremony there will be a parade starting at Kahle Park on Kingsbury Grade at 10:00 a.m. The procession of cars will go along Highway 50 and end up at the Warrior Way high school in Zephyr Cove. Those wanting to cheer the graduates on may do so from along the four-mile route.

SOUTH LAKE TAHOE, Calif. - It was a long, hard-fought effort to get it done, but the determination of Kathy Haven and a group of dedicated parents in 2006 has brought the two-way immersion (TWI) program at Lake Tahoe Unified School District (LTUSD) its first group of 13-year students and graduates.

Starting in 2007, 20 students enrolled in the very first kindergarten TWI class at Bijou Elementary and that group of students will be graduating from South Tahoe High School at the end of the week. They have had 13 years of school taught in both Spanish and English.

SOUTH LAKE TAHOE, Calif. - The Lake Tahoe Unified School District (LTUSD) has created a School Reopening Task Force (SRTF) to help create the guidance on reopening schools in South Lake Tahoe this fall.

SRTF launched a Return-To-School survey to collect information and gain a better understanding of how families are feeling about returning to school and what their expectations are as well as challenges. They will ask what worked well during the school closures, and identify areas for improvement

SOUTH LAKE TAHOE, Calif. - In a 3-1 vote the Lake Tahoe Unified School District (LTUSD) Board of Trustees voted to bring retired engineer Lauri Kemper on board to fill Barbara Bannar's term.

Bannar resigned in March and her term ends December 2022.

Originally there were three candidates but one dropped out of the running, Chris Proctor, leaving Kemper and David Wise. Interviews took place during the Tuesday LTUSD Board meeting on ZOOM, each candidate having two minutes to answer each of the board's ten questions.